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These are the staggering numbers behind Florence's wrath

Posted: 1:42 PM, Sep 15, 2018

Updated:2018-09-15 19:59:54Z

By:
CNN

This nightmare called Tropical Storm Florence is far from over.

"Many people who think that the storm has missed them have yet to see its threat," North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said. "This system is unloading epic amounts of rainfall -- in some places measured in feet, not inches."

8 deaths

The latest two North Carolina deaths were linked to flash flooding and swift water on roads in Duplin County, the local sheriff's department said.

"Remember: Most storm deaths occur from drowning in fresh water, often in cars," Gov. Cooper said. "Don't drive across standing or moving water."

In South Carolina, a 61-year-old woman died Friday night when her car struck a tree that fell during the storm, state emergency officials said.

796,400-plus

That's just the number of customers without power in the Carolinas. The number of people who lost electricity is far greater since a single customer can represent an entire home.

About 760,200 of those customers are North Carolina; 36,200 are in South Carolina.

112 mph

That's how hard the wind gusted in North Carolina's New River Inlet. Wilmington International Airport and Fort Macon suffered gusts of 105 mph, the National Weather Service said.

20,000 shelter evacuees

More than 20,000 people were staying in 157 emergency shelters in North Carolina on Saturday, Cooper said. "If those shelters fill up, we will establish more shelters."

150 miles

Even if you live 150 miles out from the center of Florence, you could still feel tropical-storm-force winds -- which are 39 mph or greater.

30.58 inches (and counting)

That's the new North Carolina record for most rainfall from a single tropical system. It happened in the coastal town of Swansboro.

14,000 service members

The number of service members deployed include 7,500 from the US Coast Guard and 6,500 from the National Guard, the Federal Emergency Management Agency said. Another 2,900 active duty members are standing by.